


A Touch of Tenderness

by heartlessleostar



Category: VIXX
Genre: Canon Universe, ChaBin, Implied Relationship, M/M, Nbin, Referenced Anxiety, Slightly tsundere!Hongbin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 09:23:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12362652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartlessleostar/pseuds/heartlessleostar
Summary: A little vignette of Hongbin and Hakyeon backstage at a music broadcast.





	A Touch of Tenderness

"Hongbin. Binnie. Kong-ie. Yah, listen to me. Hongbin-aaahh."

"I swear on my life, do you wanna get smacked?"

"Well, if you put it that way..."

"I'm not putting it any way, especially not _that_ way, you pervert."

"Is this the way you talk to your hyung?"

Hongbin just rolls his eyes and goes back to his gaming console. He and Hakyeon are waiting backstage for a music broadcast airing at 7 am. They're seated on plush couches and Hakyeon is trying his best to not slide down and fall asleep. He crosses his legs as gracefully as possible with his arms slightly outstretched to avoid crumpling his freshly pressed stage outfit. Hongbin is on the couch opposite him, thoroughly immersed in his Overwatch match.

"Why are people even online at this time of day to play games like these?"

"Timezones, hyung. Not everyone is from Korea" Hongbin mumbles without looking up.

Hakyeon's eyes widen a little. "Oh? So you've got many international friends, I see."

Hongbin just grunts and it takes all of Hakyeon's patience to not chuck one of the soft cushions at his face. He takes a deep breath and continues sitting like the graceful swan he is.

It's abnormally quiet in the room. Taekwoon is getting his hair done at the far corner near the mirrors, scrolling ideally through his phone. Wonsik is snoozing behind him, waiting for his turn. Jaehwan and Sanghyuk are doing vocal warm-ups a couple of rooms down.

Hakyeon pulls out his phone and stares at the blank screen for a couple of seconds. He's in half a mind to send an angry text to Hongbin and tell him off, but then he remembers that Hongbin left his phone forgotten at the dressing table after getting prepped. Hakyeon sighs and unlocks his phone and scrolls through Twitter for a bit, before locking it and throwing it back on the couch. He taps his feet rhythmically, miming the steps he's memorized and created for this morning's broadcast. 

_The broadcast. Don't think about the broadcast. Three minutes cut down to a minute and a half. Don't think about the-_

Taekwoon begins to hum a small tune. Wonsik shuffles in his sleep. Hongbin continues to play. Hakyeon struggles to stay put. His tapping grows incessant and he flexes his knuckles twice. The clock overhead ticks painfully slowly.

"They're not really friends, I guess. I mean, yeah, but we just talk about our matches and the occasional weather. Hyung?"

"Huh?"

Hongbin is looking at him with a slightly confused expression. "Feeling okay?"

Hakyeon tries to speak but his voice catches. He furiously clears his throat. His voice comes out more harsh than he intends, "I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?"

Hongbin just blinks back. "I'm going to get water."

"I told you, I'm fine-"

But Hongbin's already up and out the room. Hakyeon pulls out a thin tissue and dabs as gently as he can at the sweat on his neck. Hongbin returns after a few minutes, sliding into the seat next to him, and hands him the bottle without comment. The silence stretches on, and Hakyeon gulps down the whole bottle. He pants a little afterward, and Hongbin throws it in the trash. 

"Sorry, I finished it."

"There's over a dozen bottles outside, hyung, it's okay."

Hakeyon just nods. The silence starts eating at him again, so he starts re-applying his lipbalm with shaky fingers. _So much for graceful swan_ , he thinks to himself.

Taekwoon stands up, finally done, and jostles Wonsik awake, who saunters into his seat in a daze. Taekwoon types something into his phone and exists the room without looking up.

"We should be going up in a bit, too." Hongbin says quietly. 

"Yeah. Soon." Hakyeon hums. "How was your game?" 

Hongbin turns to face him, face lightly pressing into the feathery down of the couch. Hakyeon bites down on the urge to fix a loose brown lock that falls over his face.

"Shit." he replies dryly with a small smile. "Couldn't fully concentrate, anyways. It's whatever."

Hakyeon's eyebrows furrow. "When has a match of yours been just "whatever"?" he asks with a shaky chuckle. 

Hongbin just shrugs and continues staring at him. 

Hakyeon feels the temperature in his face rising. More silence. The clock ticks heavily overhead.

"I'm sorry."

Hakyeon freezes.

"You don't need to apologise."

Hongbin looks like he wants to say more, and Hakyeon waits with bated breath. 

"I know how hard you fought for that extra minute. You did all you could and I'm sorry we couldn't do better."

Hakyeon is strickened. "Hongbin-ie, please. Please don't think any of this is your fault-"

Hongbin shrugs again. "You worked your butt off on the choreography. If Ravi wasn't so damn sleep deprived all the time, I'm sure he'd have fought more for us too."

"But this isn't your fau-"

"No, maybe not. But it definitely isn't yours either, hyung."

Hakyeon bites his lip and looks down. A few years ago, he'd probably have smiled brightly and told Hongbin that everything was okay. He'd feel the intense need to protect his young dongsaeng and lie to him about his hardships despite knowing each other for over seven years and living out of each others' pockets.

Now, Hakyeon just smiles wistfully. "I just thought, after all these years..." He shakes his head. "Maybe next comeback, yeah?"

Hongbin frowns, grabbing Hakyeon's hands and fiddling with his fingers. "Yeah. Next comeback."

"N-ssi, Hongbin-ssi, we'll be on in 15 minutes." A staff member comes by and Hongbin jumps back from Hakyeon immediately. 

"Okay, thank you" Hakyeon says, eyebrows raised with amusement at how flustered Hongbin suddenly is.

Wonsik comes over with styled hair and red eyeshadow that matches his rubbed-at eyes. He shares a knowing, resigned look with Hakyeon before heading out to the side of the stage where the rest are waiting. 

"Alright." Hakyeon says and stands up, squaring his shoulders. "Let's go do a spectacular first take, okay? The most amazing minute and a half the world has ever seen." 

Hongbin stands next to him. "N-oppa, fighting~" he pumps his fist and cheers in as high-pitched a voice he can muster.

Hakyeon laughs and shakes his head. He feels the brush of fingertips curling around his own, a small squeeze, and it's gone in the blink of an eye. 

They walk together, bumping shoulders lightly. 

"I'm gonna make bibimbap for dinner."

"Please, don't, for the safety of all of humanity."

"You could help me, maybe?"

"Unless you want the rice balls disaster to be repeated, then I'd suggest we just get take out."

"Take out it is, then."

"Or, you know, you could just let me take you out, if you know what I'm saying."

"Hyung, please stop."

"Next Saturday night? We don't have clashing schedules, I checked."

"... Yes, please."

And Hakyeon smirks while Hongbin rushes ahead with a flaming face.


End file.
